Moistener and paper-weight



(No Model.)

H. R. HARRIS. MOISTENER AND PAPER WEIGHT Patented July 16, 1895.

' INVENTOI'? WITNESSES:

A TTQRNEYS.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY R. HARRIS, OF MICHIGAN ,CITY, INDIANA.

MOlTEN ER AND PAPER-WEIG HT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,888, dated July 16, 1895. Application filed November 22, 1894. Serial No. 529,618. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY R. HARRIS, of Michigan City, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Moistener and PapenVVeight, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a combined moistener and paper-Weight; and it has for its object to provide a device which will be economic, simple, and convenient in its construction and especially adapted for moistening the adhesive surfaces of envelopes, labels, tags, or other articles requiring such treatment, and, furthermore, to so construct the device that the moistening may be accomplished in an exceedingly convenient and expeditious manner and whereby the absorbent material containing the water will be so placed as to cause the fluid to seek that-portion to be pressed by the article to be moistened.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in-all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved moistener and weight. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 is a rear end view of the device.

The moistener and weight may be constructed from any desired material, and it may be given any exterior contour that fancy may dictate. It consists of a casing A, provided at its forward end with an overhanging section 10, open at the bottom, the bottom portion of this overhanging section being inclined in a downwardly and rearwardly direction, as shown at 11 in the said Fig. 1. Therefore the lower free end 12 of the casing is considerably within the line of the front face of the overhanging section 10 of the said casing, and if in practice it is found desirable a base-plate 13 may be made to form an extension of the bottom of the casing, being located beneath the overhanging section 10 thereof, and through the medium of this basepaper-weight.

plate the device may be secured uponthe table or other support. Within the bottom portion of the casing a chamber 14. is usually formed, as shown in Fig. 3, adapted to contain shot 15 or other weighty substances in order that the de ice may be employed as a When shot are employed they are introduced through an opening 16 in the back, normally covered by a cap 17, as shown in Fig, 4. The top of this compartment 14 is inclined from the back downwardly and forwardly, while the front end of the compartment is the lower front wall 12 of the casing.

Above the compartment 1t what may be termed a moisteningcompartment 18 is formed, and the overhang 10 forms the forward wall of this upper compartment, while the inclined top of the compartment 14(designated as 19) constitutes the bottom for this upper or moistening compartment. Therefore, owing to the overhanging portion 10 of the casing being open at its bottom, the bottom of the moistening-com partment 18 is likewise open at the front. This compartment is intended to contain a sponge 20 or other absorbent material, and a portion of the sponge or absorbent material will extend through the opening in the front bottom portion of the moistening-compartment, as shown in Figs. 1

' and 3, and, furthermore, owing to the downward and forward inclination of the bottom of this moistening-compartment, the fluid with which the sponge is saturated will be induced to seek that part of the sponge which is exposed for use, constantly keeping damp this portion of the sponge.

The moisteningcompartment 18 is normally closed through the medium of a cover 21, and this cover fits closely within a marginal rib 22, formed upon the upper marginal edge of the casing. The cover is hinged at one of its ends to the casing, and the hinge usually employed consists of a pintle 23, to which the cover is secured, said pintle being journaled in the casing and provided at one end with a crank-arm 24, in order that the cover may be readily opened by manipulating said arm; but any other approved form of hinge may be employed or the cover need not necessarily be hinged to the casing. When the cover, however, lies within the marginal rib 22 of the casing it may be locked in its closed position by a keeper 25, consisting of a plate of sufficient length to extend across the casing, having each of its ends bent to form a hook 25, and the said hooks upon being engaged with the said ribs 22 of the easing will extend across the cover and will hold the latter closed. In this manner it will be observed that it is impossible for dust or foreign substances to enter the moistening-chamber unless the cover is open.

In operation the envelope or article to be moistened is passed under and against the exposed portion of the sponge.

I desire it to be distinctly understood that instead of shot or other movable weights the bottom portion of the casing may be made solid or may be made of sufficiently heavy ma terial to form an effective paper-weight.

In the back of the moistening chamber or compartment 18 openings 26 are made for atfording ventilation.

The overhanging portion 10 has a rounded front face, and, as above stated, the base-plate 13 is located under its open bottom, whereby when in use the projecting portion of the moisture-absorbing material will be prevented from contact with papers, &c., no matter upon which side the device may rest.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A moistening device, consisting of a casing having a compartment formed in it to receive moisture-retaining material, the bottom of said compartment having an opening to expose the moisttneretaining material, and a support arranged under the casing, the opening in the bottom of the compartment being exposed on one side of said support, substantially as set forth.

2. A moistening device consisting of a casing having an open topped compartment formed in it to receive moisture-retaining material, the bottom of said compartment having an opening toexpose the moistureretaining material, a support arranged under the said casing, the opening in the bottom of the compartment being exposed on one side of the said support, and a cover for the open top of the compartment, substantially as set forth.

3. A moistening device consisting of a casing having a lower part, and an overhanging upper portion the bottom of which is open, said casing having a compartment adapted to receive absorbent material formed in it, said compartment extending into the overhanging portion of the casing and having an inclined bottom the lower end of which is arranged adjacent to the open bottom of said overhanging portion of the casing, substantially as set forth.

4. A moistening device consisting of armsing having a compartment formed in it to receive moisture-retaining material, said compartment having its bottom provided with an opening to expose the moisture-letaining material and means for supporting said casing with the bottom of the compartment in an inclined position and with the openingtherein exposed, substantially as set forth.

5. A moistening device consisting of acasing having a lower part and an upper part provided with an overhanging rounded projecting portion,the bottom of which is open, said casing having formed in its upper part a. compartment, the bottom of which is inclined and has its lower end arranged adjacent to the opening in the bottom of the overhanging part of the casing, and a base plate secured to the lower part of the casing and projecting therefrom under the open bottom of the casing, substantially as set forth.

HARVEY R. HARRIS. Witnesses:

FRANK '1. HENRY, FRED H. WEs'rPHAL. 

